The American Society of Transplant Surgeons is pleased to announce its $100,000 financial commitment to an Institute of Medicine (IOM) study on organ donor intervention research.
The study will examine the ethical, policy, regulatory, and operational issues related to conducting research involving deceased organ donors. The IOM committee will examine the gaps, barriers, and opportunities for clinical research involving deceased donors that aims to increase the quality and quantity of donated organs available for transplantation, with particular attention to interventions potentially affecting all of the donor’s organs.
ASTS has been at the forefront of this initiative since 2010 and hopes that this commitment will inspire other professional transplant and donation organizations who have been involved with this effort to add their support.
“ASTS’ mission and vision are dedicated to increasing not only the number but also the quality of transplants,” said Charles M. Miller, MD, ASTS President. “Supporting this study, with its potential to make a lasting impact on the field, is a key part of fulfilling our mission.”
“The decision by the ASTS Executive Committee to help fund an IOM study of the issues impeding deceased donor intervention research demonstrates the fundamental commitment of our organization to patients in need of a transplant and to the science of transplantation,” said Sandy Feng, MD, PhD, former ASTS Council liaison to the Scientific Studies Committee.
“Previous IOM reports have had an essential influence on the development of organ donation and transplantation in the United States. It is our hope that an IOM report in conjunction with developments at the Health Resources and Services Administration will address and mitigate barriers confronting researchers. The establishment of a framework that will allow the safe and ethical conduct of donor intervention studies represents a paradigm shift in clinical transplantation research that will ultimately improve the quantity and quality of organs available for transplantation,” said Peter L. Abt, MD, former chair of the ASTS Scientific Studies Committee.
Organizations interested in supporting this study should contact Cathy Liverman at cliverma@nas.edu.